--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are things that I would say that…" description: "\"There are things that I would say that you could call an instant of time; or better, a now. As we live we seem to move through a succession of instants..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c79/julian-barbour-34097_instant_there-are-things-that-i-would-say-that-y_3115638.jpg" --- # There are things that I would say that you could call an… ![“There are things that I would say that you could call an instant of time; or better, a now. As we live we seem to move through a succession of instants of time, nows, and the question is, what are they? There are where everything in the universe is at this moment, now.” quote by Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c79/julian-barbour-34097_instant_there-are-things-that-i-would-say-that-y_3115638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c79/julian-barbour-34097_instant_there-are-things-that-i-would-say-that-y_3115638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c79/julian-barbour-34097_instant_there-are-things-that-i-would-say-that-y_3115638.jpg) > “There are things that I would say that you could call an instant of time; or better, a now. As we live we seem to move through a succession of instants of time, nows, and the question is, what are they? There are where everything in the universe is at this moment, now.” [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time consists of discrete moments called “nows,” each a complete state of the universe, challenging continuous time views. **In simple terms:** Time is a series of present moments. Key Takeaway Consider each moment as a whole. Themes philosophy physics existence temporality Mood reflective intriguing Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - contemplating daily experiences - studying cosmology - mindfulness practice Key Concepts presentism block universe ontological status Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “now” for you? - Can we experience multiple nows simultaneously? A Different Perspective Our perception of flow may be illusory. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Succession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succession/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Without God upholding the universe from moment to moment, nothing could continue to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/without-god-upholding-the-universe-from-moment-to-moment-nothing/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“I thought, There is nowhere else in the universe I would rather be at this moment. I could count the places I would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/i-thought-there-is-nowhere-else-in-the-universe-i-would-rather-be-at-2/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Always be open to new beginnings. To the universe, every moment is the start of the next big thing in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/always-be-open-to-new-beginnings-to-the-universe-every-moment-is-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again And what do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/each-second-we-live-is-a-new-and-unique-moment-of-the-universe-a-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The moment you understand the whole Universe, is the moment you slightly begin to understand the way God's mind works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-moment-you-understand-the-whole-universe-is-the-moment-you/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Nothing in the fact that there was a first moment in time necessitates that an external something is required to bring the universe about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-m-carroll/nothing-in-the-fact-that-there-was-a-first-moment-in-time/) [Sean M. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-m-carroll/) > [What is happening, I think, it's really bigger than psychedelics, it's bigger than human evolution. We are not making the waves in this ocean.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-i-think-it-s-really-bigger-than-psychedelics-it-s/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe; a moment that never was before and never will be again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/each-second-we-live-is-a-new-and-unique-moment-of-the-universe-a/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [“Nothing is predetermined, it is determined, or was determined, or will be determined. No matter, it all happened at once, in less than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-halperin/nothing-is-predetermined-it-is-determined-or-was-determined-or-will/) [Mark Halperin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-halperin/) > [The present offers itself to our touch for only an instant of time and then eludes the senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-present-offers-itself-to-our-touch-for-only-an-instant-of-time/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Perhaps this very instant is your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/perhaps-this-very-instant-is-your-time/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [Every instant of time... is a pinprick of eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/every-instant-of-time-is-a-pinprick-of-eternity/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Oh seize the instant time; you never will With water once passed by impel the mill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chenevix-trench/oh-seize-the-instant-time-you-never-will-with-water-once-passed-by/) [Richard Chenevix Trench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chenevix-trench/) > [Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/photography-takes-an-instant-out-of-time-altering-life-by-holding-it/) [Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/) > [“Until now, I've been writing about "now" as if it were literally an instant of time, but of course human faculties are not infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/until-now-i-ve-been-writing-about-now-as-if-it-were-literally-an/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) ## More by Julian Barbour > [“conscious states somehow reflect physical states in the brain. Put in its crudest form, a brain scientist who knew the state of our brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/conscious-states-somehow-reflect-physical-states-in-the-brain-put-in/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [The passage of time is simply an illusion created by our brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/the-passage-of-time-is-simply-an-illusion-created-by-our-brains/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [What really intrigues me is that the totality of all possible Nows of any definite kind has a very special structure. You can think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/what-really-intrigues-me-is-that-the-totality-of-all-possible-nows-of/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“Interestingly, consciousness and understanding are always tied to a short time span, which was called the specious present by the philosopher and psychologist William…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/interestingly-consciousness-and-understanding-are-always-tied-to-a/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“The chain from cause to effects may be quite long and take surprising forms, but a cause there must be. It is unsatisfactory to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/the-chain-from-cause-to-effects-may-be-quite-long-and-take-surprising/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“By a time capsule, I mean any fixed pattern that creates or encodes the appearance of motion, change or history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/by-a-time-capsule-i-mean-any-fixed-pattern-that-creates-or-encodes/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“You are the music of the spheres heard from the particular vantage point that is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/you-are-the-music-of-the-spheres-heard-from-the-particular-vantage/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“The higher we climb, the more comprehensive the view. Each new vantage point yields a better understanding of the interconnection of things. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/the-higher-we-climb-the-more-comprehensive-the-view-each-new-vantage/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [If nothing happened, if nothing changed, time would stop. For time is nothing but change. It is change we see occurring all around us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/if-nothing-happened-if-nothing-changed-time-would-stop-for-time-is/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [My ideas about time all developed from the realization that if nothing were to change we could not say that time passes. Change is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/my-ideas-about-time-all-developed-from-the-realization-that-if/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“somehow seems appropriate here: ‘If the end of the world is nigh, it is time to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes to Cincinnati twenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/somehow-seems-appropriate-here-if-the-end-of-the-world-is-nigh-it-is/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [Superficial people find the extraordinary fascinating, and profound people find the ordinary riveting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/superficial-people-find-the-extraordinary-fascinating-and-profound/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) > [“Thus, experienced time is linear, it can be measured and it has an arrow. These are not properties of an invisible river: they belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/thus-experienced-time-is-linear-it-can-be-measured-and-it-has-an/) [Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) [Explore all 14 Julian Barbour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/) ## More Instant quotes > [Any moment,everything can change.. - Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/any-moment-everything-can-change-hilary-duff/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred or valuable. To be negative at all times is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/to-be-positive-at-all-times-is-to-ignore-all-that-is-important-sacred/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [The bird with the thorn in its breast, it follows an immutable law; it is driven by it knows not what to impale itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-bird-with-the-thorn-in-its-breast-it-follows-an-immutable-law-it/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ I became an instant fan of the show \[Underground\] seconds into the opening frames of the pilot. When that drone shot carried us through… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-hinds/i-became-an-instant-fan-of-the-show-underground-seconds-into-the/) [Aisha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-hinds/) > [You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world, and a compulsion to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/you-develop-an-instant-global-consciousness-a-people-orientation-an/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [So for a period of time each day, try to sit, without moving, without expecting anything, as if you were in your last moment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-for-a-period-of-time-each-day-try-to-sit-without-moving-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My photographs are not just about the instant of movement you capture in the camera. It's much more total, about constant movement that became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-orozco/my-photographs-are-not-just-about-the-instant-of-movement-you-capture/) [Gabriel Orozco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-orozco/) > [But people who think they can project themselves into deafness are mistaken because you can't. And I'm not talking about imagining what a deaf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-masur/but-people-who-think-they-can-project-themselves-into-deafness-are/) [Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-masur/) > [Technology has just been the major progression of the last 15 years - instant communication. That stuff has gone so global. That's what's interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/technology-has-just-been-the-major-progression-of-the-last-15-years/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Practically everything from hairstyles to lifestyles is endorsed as some sort of drug to be taken Now for Instant Relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/practically-everything-from-hairstyles-to-lifestyles-is-endorsed-as/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [I have no policy, for or against: only a personal style. Which is to say, I use them when I think it's appropriate to;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-have-no-policy-for-or-against-only-a-personal-style-which-is-to-say/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [We study health, and we deliberate upon our meats and drink and air and exercises, and we hew and we polish every stone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/we-study-health-and-we-deliberate-upon-our-meats-and-drink-and-air/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) Browse all 1,435 Instant quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are things that I would say that you could call an instant of time; or better, a now. As we live we seem to move through a succession of instants of time, nows, and the question is, what are they? 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